Pressure on the NHS will rise amid Coronavirus if fuel duty freeze is scrapped, Chancellor warned

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing mounting fresh pressure from a group of Tory MPs warning against a rumoured raising of fuel duty in this week's Budget.
By Geraldine Scott
Published 9th Mar 2020, 16:45 BST
Updated 9th Mar 2020, 16:52 BST

A total of 36 backbench Tories including Yorkshire MPs Craig Whittaker, Lia Nici, Nick Fletcher, and David Davis, have written to the Chancellor urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people".

The letter, which was delivered today to 11 Downing Street, led by Harlow MP Robert Halfon, adds "every penny of a fuel price rise hits their financial security".

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It points to the "strong record" over the past 10 years in freezing fuel duty saying: "We are optimistic that this will be a Government for workers.

Howard Cox and Heidi Skinner of the Freight Transport Association, James Daly MP, Robert Halfon MP, Jamie Wallis MP Jonathan Gullis MP and Duncan Buchanan of the Road Haulage Association outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PAHoward Cox and Heidi Skinner of the Freight Transport Association, James Daly MP, Robert Halfon MP, Jamie Wallis MP Jonathan Gullis MP and Duncan Buchanan of the Road Haulage Association outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PA
Howard Cox and Heidi Skinner of the Freight Transport Association, James Daly MP, Robert Halfon MP, Jamie Wallis MP Jonathan Gullis MP and Duncan Buchanan of the Road Haulage Association outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PA

"I understand the green movement is urging for fuel duty to go up, however, we mustn't, as a Government, balance environmentalism on the backs of working people.

"They depend on their cars, vans and lorries to get about and run a small business."

The measures announced to cut taxes for lower earners are "really welcome" it says, adding "all the more reason for not whacking normal folk hard with higher taxes on fuel".

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MPs were joined by Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, who handed in a petition for the chancellor to cut fuel duty that has been signed by 134,201 supporters.

MP Robert Halfon (centre) and other Tory MPs along with members of haulage and transport associations outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PAMP Robert Halfon (centre) and other Tory MPs along with members of haulage and transport associations outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PA
MP Robert Halfon (centre) and other Tory MPs along with members of haulage and transport associations outside The Treasury in Westminster, London, preparing to hand in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak urging him not to "balance environmentalism on the backs of working people". Photo: PA

However it is understood a rumoured hike to fuel duty may have already been ditched.

A Tory source told website Politico: “This is the manifesto Budget.

“I would point out the first budget after an election is normally when a government clobbers you with some tax hike or some broken promise.

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“We will not be doing that. We will be providing the support for economic security, investing in public services, and then the long term growth for the decade ahead.”

Mr Halfon today warned the Chancellor that hiking fuel duty in the Budget could also hurt the NHS while it is under strain dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

He said raising taxes at the pumps would have an impact on the health service - just as Mr Sunak looks set to hand over more money to help the NHS deal with the virus crisis.

The UK has 280 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and three people have died in UK hospitals.

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Mr Sunak told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that the Government is ready to deliver "whatever action is required" to deal with the outbreak, and pledged to give the NHS the resources it needs in his first Budget on Wednesday.

But Mr Halfon warned that it would be akin to "giving with one hand and taking away with the other" if the Chancellor gave the NHS extra cash while raising fuel duty.

"Our message to the Chancellor is that the economy is facing a major challenge in coronavirus," the Harlow MP said.

"We should be helping ordinary folk and businesses, not hammering them with fuel duty charges.

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"Don't forget, the NHS is going to need a lot of extra money to deal with this kind of virus.

"What's the point though if you then put up fuel duty? Then the NHS will have to pay more as well because of the cost of transportation, ambulances and all that sort of thing.

"They would be giving with one hand and taking away with the other."

Related topics:NHSBudgetCoronavirusMPsRishi Sunak

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